Twitter for Newbies!
Michele Walfred
Communications Specialist
Mid-Atlantic Women in Agriculture
eXtension.org Learn
This webinar
Designed for those who do not have a Twitter account (YET!)
Had a Twitter and gave up!
Very basic!
Twitter Tier Two on April 22 will talk techniques and tricks
SHORT PowerPoint
Live step-by-step experience opening a new account
What do you want to be on Twitter?
Multiple accounts (one per email)
Company or business account?
Professional/Personal
Individual/Personal
Ultimately: What is your voice for the account?
What “tone” or “voice” do you want to convey?
This is an
organization’s
page. Could be
YOUR biz, non or
for profit.
It is your BRAND!!
Explain who you
are. Acknowledge
affiliates.
Use logo. Strong
images
Personal account has professional tone.
Avoids controversy. Full profile leads
audience to know what to expect.
Occasionally go off topic. Promote my other
accounts. Photo & personal header
What do you want?
Start a conversation?
Be a part of a larger conversation?
Increase business?
Serve as a resource to others?
Just have fun?
Business to business
Business to customer
Monitor the news
Before you get started
What you will need
Square image/logo “face”
Header image – landscape orientation
Email account
What your handle will be - your
official Twitter address
@MWalfred
@UDExtension
Case sensitive? No. Aesthetic, Yes!
Short is better
TRY to avoid numbers/symbols
Homework
Compose your profile (160
characters) & website
Determine who you want to follow
Look up their handles & write about
10-20 down
Similar to your business/org
Local government
Local news
National news
Thought leaders (search a hashtag)
Celebrities
Basic terms
HASHTAG. A “pound sign” or “number symbol” (#) before an important
keyword. Main subjects of your tweet. Used to find you, used to sort topics.
Examples: #foodie #ag #FarmDE #SuperBowl #DowntonPBS #4H (hobby or
interest)
Twitter etiquette: No more than three (3). At least one (1). Can be used within
the 140 character statement or tacked on at the end. NOT CASE SENSITIVE!!! But
caps do help with readability/meaning. #DeAgWeek or #deagweek No spaces
within. A space must proceed and follow each #hashtag like this.
HANDLE. Account name prefaced by an “at symbol” (@). Used to get
attention, tap someone on shoulder. Where it is placed in a Tweet matters.
Example: @MWalfred @udextension @agchat @MidAtlanticWIA @MyPlate
@eXtension4U
Not Case Sensitive. Visual help.
Study how other accounts use #’s & @’s
Basic terms
TWITTER
FACEBOOK
FOLLOWERS (who follows you)
Page fans or “LIKES”, Friends
FOLLOWING (who you follow)
Pages you like. Friends you accept
Reply (left turning arrow)
Comment
Retweet (RT) (up/down arrow)
Share
Favorite ( star symbol)
Like (thumbs up)
Facebook
News
Feed
You’ve
been
noticed
Careful.
pitches &
scams lurk
here!
Find out what
is trending!
How others use
hashtags!
Search people,
businesses,
hashtags
Change your
settings. Also
look for “gear”
symbol
Compose!
Shows up
differently
on devices
Twitter FYI
Only 140 characters allowed on Twitter
Abbreviations are allowed, even necessary
Post pictures first. Images take up 23 characters
Leave room to be retweeted or shared
(that takes up 10 characters)
Links need to be shortened (reserve 13-23)
Bit.ly.com
Hootsuite (free) offers a link shortener
You have a whopping 94 (or less) characters left to Tweet a picture
with a link!
Lenient abbreviation code!
140
-23
117
-10
107
-13
94
Link Shortener
http://extension.udel.edu/fcs/master-food-educator-volunteer-program/
http://bit.ly/1Ffz5Sm (22)
Let’s go live
And test this Twitter thing on for size
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